>>>>>>>>>NEWS FLASH<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jim will be giving a talk on the backstory of Disney's animated film "Frozen" at the Bloomingdale Branch of the New York Public Library on Saturday, May 16th.
There's still time to sign up by sending email to events@etccustomevents.com.

Christy S. writes in to say: Jim When I was a little girl, my father and I flew down to Walt Disney World . This was just a year or so after the resort opened and I distinctly remember taking a boat ride with my father out to some island. Once we got there, these pirates led us on a treasure hunt which...

Last week, Lauren S. sent me this e-mail: Dear Jim, At the beginning of September, I had a wonderful vacation, dining for free at the Pop Century Resort . However, something threw me - whatever happened to the plans for the other half of the property. Years ago, I remember reading through travel guides...

Hirota K. of Yokohoma writes in to say Dear Mr. Hill -- I have been greatly enjoying your recent articles about Disney theme park attractions that were never built. Could you please share some stories about rides that were proposed but never built for my favorite theme park, Tokyo DisneySea ? Thank you...

Mike P. wrote in yesterday to say: I loved last week's "Why For " about all the pavilions and attractions that were planned for Epcot and Disney World but ultimately never built. But what about Disneyland ? Do you have any information about rides, shows and attractions that were proposed for the Disney...

Vernon S. wrote in yesterday to say: You know what I liked best about today's article ? That photograph of the Disney Sea model. I've always been fascinated by the Long Beach project. I don't suppose, as part of one of your upcoming Why For columns, that you could write about some of the rides, shows...

Roger A. writes in to ask: Jim, Bravo on your two recent articles on the Disney-MGM name change . After hearing the news, I was thrilled to find your very-informative articles on the subject. One thing you mentioned really intrigued me, and begs for more info: "We'll have to wait 'til "Disney's Hollywood...

Were you surprised by the rather generic-sounding new name that the Walt Disney Company saddled Disney-MGM with last week? Well, you weren't the only one. Many of the Mouse House managers that I spoke with over this past weekend were really taken aback by the studio theme park's new moniker. As one Disney...

First up, Michael R. writes in to ask: I was wondering if there was any specific reason why there has not been a release of the " Disney-MGM Studios " version of (the " Imagineering Field Guide ") series? They've released books for the other three parks and I understand now they're working on the CA...

In response to last week's "Why For," Lou P. writes in to say: Your latest column just doesn't make any sense to me. Back in the earlier 1990s, the Imagineers were given $1.4 billion and told to do something spectacular with Disneyland 's old parking lot. Working with that limited amount of money, they...

Mindy T. writes in to say: I'm a big Beyoncé fan. So last week's story about how Disney was after her to star in the movie version of "Aida" really excited me. Is there any other new on this project? Dear Mindy T. Talk between Ms. Knowles and the Mouse are continuing. And though Beyoncé has yet to officially...

Earlier this week, Perry T. sent me the following e-mail : Jim, Are you as sick as I am about how the Imagineers keep forcing characters into older attractions at the Disney theme parks? Just in the past six months, we've had that new " Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor " show replace the Magic Kingdom 's old...

As you might expect, I got an awful lot of e-mail yesterday concerning that "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" project that Universal Studios just announced. That $500 million re-theming of the "Lost Continent" section of Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park . First up, Kurt G. wrote in to say...

Terri P. writes in to say: I really enjoyed last week's Why For and was wondering if you had any more info about those three resort hotels that were never built. Ah, you mean the Asian, the Venetian and the Persian. Turning again to my handy-dandy copy of the "Preview Edition" of the "Walt Disney World...

Matt H. writes in to say: I just finished reading Charlie Ridgway 's " Spinning Disney's World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent ." And my favorite part of that book has to be all of his stories about WDW's pre-opening phase, where Ridgway kept having to take reporters through the half-finished...

First, Thomas M. writes in to ask: Jim: I was always a huge fan of the Jolly Holidays dinner show at the Contemporary Resort at WDW and was very upset when they stopped having it several years ago. My family and I went every year and there was always a gigantic crowd. I know that much of it was lifted...

First up, Lee H. sends along a note and a photo, seeking some info about Disney's original plans for Epcot's Space pavilion: Hey Jim, First off, let me just say that I love the site. This is despite the fact that you tend to leave me hanging on some of your longer stories (remember Tower Tales...

Okay. Picking up where we left off last week (when JHM readers actually came forward with answers to earlier "Why For" questions), it would appear that veteran Disney animator Bill Justice actually *WAS* wrong about the origin of that "Applecore ... Baltimore" gag that's featured...

First, an apology. You know, in yesterday's review of Carlene Thie's "Disneyland Under Construction" books, I'm afraid that I may have come down a bit too hard on Ms. Thie. Or -- at the very least -- criticized things that I didn't really know about. For example: In yesterday's...

BigbyWolf235 writes to ask: Dear Jim, Perhaps you can help settle a Disney Urban Legend for me. It seems since the beginning of films there have always been strange rumors as to things that were stuck in the backgrounds of scenes. In THE WIZARD OF OZ there was always the rumor of the Munchkin hanging...